1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved brake device for applying a brake force to a spool of a fishing reel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a conventional fishing reel, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Hei. 5-10612 and Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Hei. 3-114964, there is employed a brake device in which a brake member is depressed by means of an adjusting member which is in threaded engagement with a handle shaft to adjust the brake force of a drive gear in frictional connection with the handle shaft and to apply the adjusted brake force to a spool provided in the fishing reel.
FIG. 6 shows a sectional plan view of the main portions of a conventional double-bearing type fishing reel with such brake device.
In the double bearing type reel shown in FIG. 6, two support plates 61 and 70 are formed in an integrally connected manner by a plurality of props, two outer side plates 62 and 71 are respectively fixed to the outsides of the two support plates 61 and 70, and a spool 72 is interposed between the two support plates 61 and 70 in such a manner that it can be freely rotated by means of a spool shaft 63. The spool shaft 63 is rotatably supported by a bearing 73 on the support plate 61 and a bearing (not shown) on the outer plate 71. A pinion 64 is slidably fitted on a portion of the spool shaft 63 so as to be engaged with and disengaged from the portion of the spool shaft 63 by means of clutches 63a and 64a respectively formed on the spool shaft 63 and the pinion 64.
A drive gear 74 in mesh with the pinion 64 is fitted on the outer periphery of a handle shaft 65. Brake members such as a friction plate 75, a rotation preventive pressure plate 76, drag force adjusting plates 77, 78, a spring receiving plate 79, a bearing 80 and the like included in a drag mechanism are fitted sequentially on a portion of the handle shaft 65 existing on the outer side of the drive gear 74. A collar is fitted on the outer side of the above portion in a rotation preventive manner. If the above drag mechanism is pressed by means of a drag adjusting handle 67 in threaded engagement with the handle shaft 65, then the drag brake can be adjusted.
The handle shaft 65 is supported not only by a bearing 82 having its two outer peripheral portions fitted into a recessed potion formed in the support plate 61 but also by a bearing 80 fitted into a hole formed in cylindrical portion 83 fixed to the outer plate 62. A handle 84 is fitted on a portion of the handle shaft 65 existing on the outside of the threaded portion for the drag adjusting handle 67 and is prevented against removal from the handle shaft 65 by a screw 85.
However, in the above-mentioned conventional fishing reels, if the drag adjusting handle (or an adjusting member) 67 in threaded engagement with the handle shaft 65 is rotated and moved in the axial direction to thereby press against the drag mechanism, then a gap B is formed between the handle 84 and the drag adjusting handle (adjusting member) 67.
In actual fishing, the fishing reel is used under a severe environment in which seawater, refuse, sand and the like are easy to get into the reel and, therefore, the seawater, refuse, sand and the like are easy to get into and stick to the threaded portion 87 of the handle shaft 65 through the gap B, which causes an adverse effect on the rotative performance of the drag adjusting handle (adjusting member) 67. Consequently, the brake force cannot be adjusted smoothly and the appearance of the reel can be impaired.